Another Day Passes
by WinterVines
Summary: A collection of Shunsui x Nanao drabbles. Various themes and lengths. Complete. Story Ten: Wise Words
1. Rainy Nights

_So, now I'm going to start my drabble collection just because I can. I need to do something as I get used to my new place. Holy cow I start school in two days x.x _

_Alright, these are going to be various lengths, and my titles are probably going to be cracked. There really isn't a time lenth between updates either. Oh well._

_You know the drill. Good, not good? Let me know._

_Disclaimer: Ah yes, the lovely disclaimer. If I did own anything besides my own ideas, I most certainly wouldn't be renting and wondering how on earth I'm going to pay my tuition. Enough said._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Rainy Nights**

* * *

She sat on the large sill of the window with her large tome, staring out into the night. It was fading fast, but there was still enough visible light for her to see the steady strumming rain come down.

It was strange, she thought, being in an unfamiliar place like this. She didn't know how long it would take for her to get used to it, but a part of her speculated that, considering the situation, maybe she never would.

Nanao never would've guessed that one day she would be lodged in the same house of her Captain.

Don't get the wrong idea. She wasn't seeing him or anything, she just happened to not have Lady Luck on her side. You see, it was just recently that someone (most certainly not her because they were fine, thank you very much) decided that her branch of the residential quarters of the Eighth Division needed to be remodeled. Unfortunately, this included the Lieutenant's quarters and most of the seated officers.

Unluckily for her (or lucky, whatever viewpoint you had), the Captain's quarters had been spared from the demolition. This is how she ended up here. In sweeping, dramatic movements, her captain had decided that she should dwell with him for the time it took for them to finish remodeling. If you asked her, she would've just stayed with Rangiku, but Shunsui (only addressed so in her mind) would have nothing of it.

In the end, she couldn't remember what jumbled excuse he gave her, whether it was to keep him on his toes, 'oh no Nanao-chan, they might remodel the Tenth as well', or if he plain out issued an order. Whatever happened, this is where she was now.

At first she was a bit…frightened, if she had to be completely honest with herself. Things rarely changed in her life, and her lifestyle over the past few centuries had been no exception. She had tried to tell herself that once in a while change was good, but that didn't stop her mind from betraying her.

Now she wondered if she would ever be used to this. Glancing at the few boxes that littered the room made her uneasy. Sure, it was very generous of her captain to do this for her, but she really wasn't all that comfortable.

In the middle of her thoughts, a dash of pink and straw had dipped into the room. When she heard the low rumble of his voice, she jumped a bit, causing a slight chuckle from him.

"Nanao-chan? Would you like some tea?"

She looked over at him, smiling just a little bit. She nodded slightly, causing his grin to widen as he disappeared out the door. She got up slowly, going to mimic his actions.

Okay, maybe it wasn't so bad staying here with him. Besides, if he did something she disproved of, she could always hit him with her book.


	2. Eventually

_Here it is, another one for my lovely readers. Two in one day is pretty good, ne? This one was kind of inspired by that cheesy poem I came up with and used in "The Three Hardest Phrases" and "Past Greivances". Other than that, enojoy away!_

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Eventually**

* * *

In all his years, Jushiro Ukitake had come to know many things. There were still things he didn't know, but there was one thing he knew for certain about two of his very good friends.

One day, hopefully soon for all their sakes, Shunsui and Nanao were eventually going to admit that they couldn't live without each other.

He was a patient man, so he was patiently waiting for this to happen. He knew that it was definitely going to happen…eventually. It wouldn't be so bad, but unfortunately it was hard to determine if Shunsui was serious or not, and Nanao was too proud to ever admit it to anyone, including herself.

He still knew it was true though.

It was in the way they looked at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Their was a type of longing in both of their eyes, something that Jushiro noticed right away.

It was in the way Nanao had to really hide her blush every time Shunsui complimented her.

It was in the way Shunsui hid his glee when she let him get away with something she normally wouldn't, like coaxing her to sit with him under the sakura trees.

It would happen eventually because, as cliché as it sounded, Shunsui was like the sun and Nanao was like the moon.

The moon followed the sun everyday, no matter what, even if you couldn't see it. Nanao would indeed follow him anywhere, she proved that much going against Yamamoto.

The sun also followed the moon though, in the endless cycle that was life. True, Shunsui often followed her. He was always watching and looking out for her, as well as showering her with the affections that she didn't know were real.

It completed the cycle, day after day. This was why Jushiro just sat back and enjoyed the theatrics. It would work out sooner or later.

Eventually they would notice that they were traveling the same path.


	3. Apart

_And here is another one for you lovely readers. I seem to like using that word a lot...oh well. Anyway, my titles are really bad, so you can probably ignore them for the most part. That's like the hardest part of writing in my opinion XD. _

_I was so excited to see so many alerts/reviews/favorites/hits in so little time! You guys are so awesome. I had a good question pop up though, how long would you like me to make this? I was thinking ten or so, but I can make it longer if you wish._

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

**

* * *

Apart**

* * *

Shunsui thought himself a decently wise man, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why his lovely Nanao-chan was so reclusive all the time.

Sure, she had her friends that she hung out with periodically, but it seemed that she had no real concrete relationships in her life. It troubled him a bit because he knew the value that a few good friends were for a person. Rangiku seemed close to her, but other than that, there weren't many others.

Absent mindedly, he wondered if one day he could be let into her tight-woven circle.

He didn't know why really, but the thought made him smile. There was no question in his mind that he felt slightly more than infatuation for his cold Vice-Captain, even if she didn't realize it. He agreed that sometimes he wasn't as serious as he maybe should be, but he didn't miss the subtle signs that she enjoyed some of his more low-key antics.

It was like that time he complimented her while they were sitting underneath the sakuras. He was inwardly jumping for joy that she actually acquiesced to his request, so he decided to see just how far he could go. He compared her to the beautiful floating petals, and he caught the slight tint of pink on her cheeks before she jerked her head to the side. It was almost like she fought it tooth and nail.

That thought caused him to frown.

She was almost hesitant to show any form of liking the attention she was getting, almost like she feared it. He knew of only a few things that would cause such behavior, and he doubted he was that unconfident about herself. Okay, maybe she could be a little, but the way she proudly carried herself spoke otherwise.

No, she might act just so because she had been in a bad relationship before. This thought angered him a bit. Any man that thought to mistreat Nanao was an idiot and deserved to be beaten to a pulp. He smoothed the appearing wrinkle between his eyes, thinking that maybe it was a bit harsh. Still, Nanao didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

He hadn't stuck his nose in her business, so he didn't know of prior relationships, but he did know what a bad one was like. He really hoped this was not the case because he didn't like to see her dealing with any kind of hurt, at least not the kind he couldn't solve.

It was true though, once bitten, twice shy.

Deciding that nothing was getting done just mulling over it, he got up with full intent to seek out his Nanao-chan.

Maybe he could be the one to tear down those highly built walls.


	4. I Blame It On The Leeches

_I really have no excuse for this. I don't know where it came from, but it's there. Just another product of my messed up mind. My attempt at humor...I think. I've never been too good at it..but meh. _

_Oh, and these aren't really in any order. Just whatever comes to mind at the time._

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**I Blame It On The Leeches**

* * *

Nanao Ise was not happy.

Today had turned out to be as a terrible day as she anticipated. She knew it just had to be bad as soon as she was brought to the so called gathering place, a secluded lake with many rivers that just so happened to be reserved for Shinigami.

There were many people to whom she could displace the blame on for her current status. She could blame Nemu, but upon second thought, she decided against it. Besides, it probably wasn't the poor girl's fault that she had been swept up in (what she was sure was) a plot of Rangiku's. She could also place the blame on Rangiku herself, but she should be so used to things like this by now that she opted for something much simpler.

It was all the leeches' fault.

And why, do you ask, was she fuming over leeches? Well, if it hadn't been for the leech's presence, she wouldn't be in this predicament at all. How was she to know that crossing the shallow, murky water of the river would result in one too many leeches latching themselves to her foot?

And how, pray tell, could she have known that they would startle her so much (and disgust too by the way) to cause her to fall into the low river herself?

And, now that she thought about it, was it her fault that she had to be wearing a white swimsuit? That one wasn't her fault. She had been fooled into it earlier this afternoon. Nemu had told her that her assistance was needed immediately, and in her duty-bound nature, had sped off to the location. Upon arriving, she had been cornered by Rangiku and Isane, strangely enough, and had this offending garment thrust at her. They had complained that she needed a break or some nonsense like that.

Honestly, how was the work going to get done if she didn't do it?

Afterwards, she had found out that many divisions had taken the day to relax, much to her chagrin. She had disappeared as soon as she was able, determined that if she was being forced to relax, she would do it on her own terms. That meant in peace.

Now, back to her current turmoil.

When the offending creature had latched itself to her foot, she couldn't help but try to remove it immediately. She didn't need anything draining the blood from her veins, thank you very much. Unfortunately, there was more than one, and in her struggle, she had lost balance. In doing so, she was highly unaware of the loud shriek she voiced.

Which led to now.

After removing the slimy things, she looked up to the bank to see the last person she wanted to.

Shunsui Kyouraku.

It figured. It really did. That was just how her day was going. Everyone knows that wet and white don't entirely mix. Still, it was hard to move under his gaze. It was…worshipping, almost. Seeing it on him was weird, especially when it came to her.

A few minutes passed, and Nanao's brain finally clicked back into working order. She got up abruptly, attempting to cover herself as well as she could, as useless as it was now that he already saw. Still, it was the concept.

Wordlessly, she watched him turn around as he handed her his pink haori. She just stared at it for a minute, before grabbing it gratefully, making sure it was wrapped tightly around her. Usually she would never be caught dead in it, but right now she didn't really care.

He offered his hand next, to help her up the bank. She accepted this as well, thanking him. He just nodded and turned away before heading back towards the others. She thought she was seeing things, but she swore she saw a tinge of pink on his cheeks, as unlikely as it sounded.

Huh. Who knew. Letting a small smile surface, she quietly fell into step beside him. Perhaps today hadn't been so bad after all.

She blamed it on the leeches.


	5. Changing Nights

_Here I am again. This came to me this morning as I was brushing my teeth. I thought I would share. This one is kind of related to "Rainy Nights"._

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Changing Nights**

* * *

Living with her captain posed many new challenges for Nanao. For one, she had to change her rituals.

Well, she didn't really have to change her morning rituals that much, seeing how Shunsui never got up any earlier than midday anyway. Sometimes she wondered if he knew what he was missing. It was very peaceful to watch the sun creep over the horizon.

Her nightly ritual had changed drastically now though.

It was more often than not that Shunsui stayed in the office as late as she did. When she insisted that she was fully capable of walking herself home (or to his home, as it was), he insisted that it was a gentlemanly thing to do. Now, instead of losing herself in a cup of tea and a good book, she found her evenings shared.

She didn't get the chance to disappear now. Now she found herself in good (okay, she would admit that) company. She would still get to read and have her tea, but she no longer did this alone. He would sit with her, usually in front of the bay window, and quietly sip his sake while she indulged.

That was fine with her.

Really, she didn't mind his company all that much. She knew that she worked better in the office when he placed himself in the corner and slept (although she'd never admit it). Once in a while he would pose a very intelligent conversation, and they would discuss for a good hour or so.

At first she was surprised, but then she realized that he was a captain because of more than just his strength. She even dared to say that she enjoyed spending time with him. This was a startling revelation for her to come across, but she managed. He was a different person at home than in the office. Here they could be just Shunsui and just Nanao. There was no Captain and Vice-Captain.

Living with him really wasn't so bad, she supposed. She could even perhaps get used to it.

Upon realizing this though, she abruptly started to choke on the tea she was drinking, bringing Shunsui's attention upon her.

She really hoped that he didn't notice her blush as she made up some excuse.


	6. Quiet Contemplation

_I think I really like this one. I have no idea why. The fact included here is true though, or at least that's what the article said. I don't remember what one though. The statistic might've changed now, but that's what it was when I read it._

_Oh, please tell me if my characterization is right. I really have no idea._

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Quiet Contemplation**

* * *

Nemu sat peacefully by the entrance to the Twelfth Division. She had gotten a break from her work at the computer, her father shoving her out of the way and muttering something along the lines of 'useless'. If she wasn't used to such treatment, she might be offended. As it was, she took the dismissal as an opportunity to step out for a moment before she was called on again.

Looking up at the moon in the dark sky, she began to think about something that Captain Ukitake had said once. She was sure that she wasn't supposed to overhear, but she couldn't help but listen anyway. He was talking to Captain Unohana about Captain Kyouraku and his Lieutenant. That was probably the main reason it caught her attention. Lieutenant Ise was very pleasant to make conversation with at their Association meetings.

She didn't know much about relationships, but it was interesting to hear Captain Ukitake's opinion on one of his theories. That was something she could relate to, being her father's assistant.

He had claimed that his friend and lieutenant belonged together because of their astrological identities. This had puzzled her at first, so she had listened more carefully.

Captain Kyouraku was symbolized as the sun, as Lieutenant Ise was symbolized by the moon, creating a complete day as long as they were together.

She supposed it would make sense if she understood philosophy a bit better. Granted those books that Lieutenant Ise loaned her helped a bit, but her father brushed off such things, calling them worthless. Still, she couldn't help but be intrigued.

Why did Captain Ukitake think this? Was it because more males were born in the day and more females born in the night?

She never thought such a fact should become useful to her, but now she was glad she had read that article. It brought her one step closer to understanding.

When she analyzed the situation now, she knew that Captain Ukitake was probably right in his assumptions. Lieutenant Ise always did seem less distant when talking about her captain. Did this mean she harbored feelings for him?

She really didn't know, but she did recall a time when Lieutenant Ise had broken out in a blush due to a conversation of him. Her eyes also become softer when she wasn't ranting on how much he didn't do. Sure, she showed all the physical signs of being attached.

Nemu sighed. It was very confusing. Perhaps, instead of pondering as she was, she should go confront the said persons herself? It could be an experiment in an attempt to gain information. Her father would approve of that, right? If she took a scientific approach to it?

She could only hope.


	7. Drunken Contemplation

_You know, I never had the intention of making these connected, but at the rate I'm going, that's what it's looking like. -.- (sigh...) I guess it can't be helped. I'm liking how it's turning out anyway. Do you agree? Slightly connected to...a lot of them really, but more directly to the leeches one._

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Drunken Contemplation**

* * *

Rangiku sat at her desk content, sipping out of her jug of sake. Normally, she wouldn't be found within a five mile radius of the office, but this time she thought she'd humor her easily-aggravated Captain.

Currently, Captain Hitsugaya was away in the world of the living on an assignment. Being a slightly trifling affair, she hadn't been needed. It didn't bother her all that much. As much as she liked to visit with her other world friends, she wanted to stay home and relax for a while.

Naturally, that plan went out the window at her captain's departure. He almost demanded (okay, well he _did_ demand a bit) that she have all of her paperwork competed by the time he got back, _or else_.

This usually wouldn't bother her in the slightest, but he had been more agitated lately, muttering things about 'Ukitake and his crazy ideas' and 'don't bring that stuff here'. She didn't really want to think about what icy punishments she would receive if she didn't comply. On another note, he never said that she couldn't indulge _while_ she was doing the paperwork, just that it got done.

She was perfectly fine with that.

Besides, it gave her plenty of time to think about her best friend and her drinking buddy.

She was pretty sure that her captain's mutterings had been about Captain Ukitake's sun and moon theory, putting it simpler, Shunsui and Nanao. There was no doubt in her mind that he was right about them. She could see it herself too. She had been around long enough to tell when people seemed good together.

It was something she, herself had wanted for a long time. It had always stayed just slightly out of reach for her though, usually leaving without mentioning where it was going. She sighed. She was not going to think of that now. Because of this deeper feeling she had, she wanted Nanao and her conserved (or perhaps lazy) captain were going to get together.

By hook or crook, whether by her hand or not, it was going to happen.

She smiled to herself. The incident at the lake had gone on smoothly enough. She had been mildly surprised when Shunsui had walked back towards the rest with Nanao in tow, but she had been more surprised in seeing the garment wrapped around the disheveled girl. Not to mention that she was wet, insinuating that she had fallen in the river. Judging by the way Shunsui didn't really look at her, more kept his eyes to the floor, she knew that something had transpired.

Smirking to herself now, she had to put a hand up to her mouth to stop her giggling like a school girl.

Oh, how she loved the color white.


	8. Returning The Favor

_Upon a wonderful request, here is another one for all my lovely readers. Not much to say, except that by some magical force, all of these seemed to be connected one way or the other. Oh well..._

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Returning The Favor**

* * *

"Oh, where is that infuriating man?" Nanao sighed quietly, a bit agitated.

The cause of her irritation? Why, it was no other than Shunsui Kyouraku himself.

This all made perfect sense though, because few could get under her skin as he did. She wondered vaguely why this was, and upon realizing that he probably only bothered her because she let him, she abandoned the topic.

The reason this time wasn't because of paperwork or anything related. No, this time he was going to be late.

Normally this wouldn't bother her at all either, but as it was, she also had to attend the Captain and Lieutenant's meeting in a few minutes. It would look very bad if she arrived on time while her captain strode in twenty minutes later.

As a result, she stood by their office door, waiting for him to return. He said that he was only going to be gone for a few minutes, and that he would meet her back here with plenty of time to spare. She inwardly snorted. Right. If that was the case, they would've already joined the others in the First and the meeting would've been underway.

She didn't really blame him for not wanting to go, but he could've just made up some excuse rather than trying to embarrass the both of them. It was the monthly Finance meeting, and it was always dull and painstakingly long. She closed her eyes and pushed her glasses farther up her nose.

She'd just have to go get him then.

Arriving at his quarters in a flash, she knocked on the door and waited patiently. Getting no answer, she began to frown. She knew he was there because she could feel the light radiating energy from him, the only fraction of his strength he let people see. He better not be napping.

That was the very train of thought that she had upon entering his dwelling. Unfortunately, that thought didn't stay for long.

Traveling farther into his home, she was met with a sight that made her eyes wide.

Apparently, he had been showering, judging from all the steam that was rolling out of the bathroom in waves. That wasn't what caught her eye though. Treading out of the foggy room was none other than her captain, clad in just a towel.

Well, she supposed that wasn't quite the correct term to be using. It was true that he did have a towel, it was just over his head while he was drying off his hair, leaving the rest of him bare. That was probably the reason why he hadn't noticed that she was there yet.

She tried to stifle the gasp that came out of her with her hand, but it was already too late. She watched him stop dead in his tracks as he slowly lowered the towel. Surprised amber met shocked indigo.

Visions of white swimsuits flashed across her sight. It was then that she realized that she was indeed staring. It was also the time that she decided that she really needed to go. She really should be lecturing him or _something_, but she had to remind herself that it was entirely her fault in the first place. She was the one that chose to…trespass, for lack of a better word.

With a red face, she bowed her head and muttered (very unprofessionaly,she might add), "T-the meeting is in t-three minutes, sir."

Then, she was gone in a flash, as quickly as she came, not bothering to spare him a second glance.

That was it, she was going to go stand by the doors to the First Division. Maybe then she would be able to stop her rapid heartbeat and cool her fiery skin.

* * *


	9. Cookies

_Woo, here's another. Unfortunately, this one is shorter. I guess this is more of a transition piece now that I've accepted that my drabbles actually run together. Don't kill me for my nicknames. I'm not the most creative person I know :)_

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_--KG--_

* * *

**Cookies**

* * *

Yachiru had to try really hard to not yawn or roll her eyes while listening to the old man speak. It was really boring, but Ken-chan said that Maki-Maki would give her a cookie if she was good.

Still, she really wanted to ask Nana-chan why her face was so red. From her spot up on Ken-chan's shoulder, she could really see a lot of things. She noticed that Nana-chan wouldn't look at Shu-Shu. Why is that?

She always used to look at him at meetings before. Nana-chan would think that no one was watching her, but from up here, Yachiru could see many things.

And why did it look like Shu-Shu was paying attention? He wasn't sleeping like he usually did.

She peered at the two closer, focusing on her SWA vice-president once again. She almost jumped up and down with a big smile, but remembered her promised treat if she behaved. It was so hard to though, because Nana-chan's cheeks were the same color of her hair! She would have to ask her later, because she liked seeing what she had in common with others.

It looked like Shu-Shu noticed her new color too because he wouldn't take his eyes off Nana-chan. Did Shu-Shu know why Nana-chan painted her face?

The meeting finally ended after days (at least that's what it was like for her) of monotone voices, and everyone started to depart. From her perch, she could see Nana-chan. Deciding that now was a good time to question her, she jumped down.

She was about to call out to Nana-chan, when she suddenly stopped. Maybe she wouldn't like it if Yachiru called her that. She faintly remembered that when she dubbed the nickname, Nana-chan didn't like it, stating that it sounded like a banana, and banana's were food and not an acceptable thing to call someone. Or something like that. She couldn't remember exactly.

Changing her mind, she turned to Ken-chan before running off.

"I'm gonna see if Bya-kun has any cookies!"


	10. Wise Words

_Yeah, so this is the last part to this drabble collection. I think it ends in a good spot. There might be more of these in the future. It was really fun. Now I want to focus on doing another long chaptered fic. I'm hoping..epic size? Or at least longer chapters. It'll be a multi-pairing fic too, although the main focus will probably be on Shunsui and Nanao because they're just too awesome. Anyway, I have a few ideas, but any suggestions would be very helpfull :) _

_Good, not good? Let me know._

_Oh yes. This quote is real. I don't know who said it, but it isn't mine. I'm sure it can be found on the internet. That reminds me, did I even do a disclaimer in the first chapter? I don't remember. Oh well. We all know that none of this is mine anyway. _

_--KG--_

* * *

**Wise Words**

* * *

For a moment, Nanao almost forgot where she was. Then, the memories came back to her, and a smile appeared on her face.

It was a little strange, waking up in someone else's room other than her own, but not entirely uncomfortable. In fact, if someone would've asked her right now, consequences be damned, she would say that she rather liked the warm embrace she was locked up in.

It wasn't just any arm slung across her waist though. Only one person would ever be allowed to do that, and that one would be Shunsui Kyouraku.

He wasn't up, of course, because the sun was just beginning to peak above the horizon. She took a moment to awaken a little more from her light slumber to gaze about the room. She turned her head a bit to gaze at the man behind her, marveling on how the sun's soft glow made him seem more relaxed and at peace than usual. Then again, her presence probably affected that too.

Reaching back to move a stray piece of hair away from his face, she almost laughed out loud remembering how she got here. Stifling it so she didn't wake him, she moved closer to him, enjoying the warmth she got.

It started out as a nightmare really. It had sparked from the incident at the river, and the bathroom incident just complicated things farther. Really, she didn't understand at the time why she could not just deal with it in a strictly professional manner, but as she thought about it, she thought that maybe it was because it mattered more to her than she admitted at first.

Apparently, she hadn't been able to mask her…embarrassment, for lack of a better word, and some others had noticed.

After the disastrous meeting was over, she had planned on jetting out of there as soon as she possibly could. Unfortunately, Shunsui (yes, it was just Shunsui now, at least when they weren't in the office) was having none of that. He had latched onto her before she could leave and had proceeded to invite Captain Ukitake and Rangiku over for a drink.

In the position that she was, she really couldn't say no.

This would've been perfectly fine if they wouldn't have been interrupted in their journey back to the Eighth. It was none other than the endless bundle of energy herself.

Yachiru Kusajishi.

To her utter horror, she had relentlessly asked her questions to further redden her already cherry face. It all came out in a rush too, before Nanao had the chance to stop her. Nanao could only watch wide-eyed as the terror said she had been talking to Nemu (again, a big surprise), and wanted to know why 'Nana-chan' was painting her cheeks and why she didn't look at 'Shu-Shu' this time.

Imagine the looks on everyone else's faces.

She could, in her mind, see the clear picture, so she refrained form looking at any of them. If there was any time that she wanted to disappear, it was right then. Unfortunately, she still had some pride left in her, and she refused to run away. She probably should've though, because Yachiru didn't stop there.

She also stated that Nemu said that 'Nana-chan' was attracted to 'Shu-Shu' and that most everyone agreed with them.

She really did just want to run. Really. Every part of her insides was screaming at her to do it. Either that or launch a very large fireball in the pink demon's direction. Still, she knew that it wasn't really her fault, if everyone already knew about it. There was only one thing to do now.

She admitted it.

It was bold, and there was no sense of shame in it. She made sure that she turned to Shunsui and looked him in the eye too. She didn't miss the shock that was written all over his face. A part of her was disappointed at that, but she brushed it aside. She followed up her confession with a bow, hoping that she would be reprimanded or _something_, and then she could finally go disappear.

Instead, she had to look up when a figure moved right in front of her. Slightly surprised to see her captain, she didn't really register that he had swept her up and was kissing her until a few moments had passed by. She only faintly recalled the cheering as she reciprocated.

It seemed that the drink turned into a celebration of sorts. She didn't really mind anymore.

It reminded her of something that Rangiku told her once. There was only one person that Nanao ever confided her secret to, and that was her best friend. It was one of her downward times, so Rangiku had decided a few uplifting words were necessary.

"Never regret anything. At one time it was exactly what you wanted."

It was true. It really was. Laying here, she confirmed it for herself. It was still what she wanted. He was what she wanted. She felt lucky that she was being allowed to have it. She regretted nothing. If she could turn back time, she would want to do it the same way.

She wasn't thinking of the possible consequences that the both of them would have to deal with. She didn't care that Central 46 or the other Captains might look down on her. She didn't care if the long time running wager was now over. Instead, she focused on the complete feeling she had.

At this point in time, she really didn't care what everyone else thought. She was quite pleased with the way things turned out, after all.

-Fin


End file.
